Archive for the ‘Political Verse’ Category
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
Responding to his political crisis, President Obama is doing precisely the wrong thing. As Paul Krugman said,
A spending freeze? That’s the brilliant response of the Obama team to their first serious political setback?
It’s appalling on every level.
Something tells me that Obama’s State of the Union address is going to be jam-packed with pandering double talk.
And that brings me to my latest limerick:
Ode To Barack Hussein Hoover
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Prez Obama, once shaker and mover,
Is reduced to a pand’ring maneuver.
Dealt a setback, his plan
Is a spending freeze? Man!
We’ve elected a latter-day Hoover.
********
Congratulations to my good friend Don Davis of Satirical Political for taking top prize in this year’s HumorFeed contest and being named The Best Satire of the Year. Don won for his hilarious A Real War On Christmas: Outrage Grows Over Excessive Bonuses To Santa’s Elves. Congrats, again Don. Well deserved!
(Full disclosure: I was a member of the four judge panel. However, the contest submissions were anonymous, so there was no need to disqualify myself.)
Tags: Economy Satire, Herbert Hoover, Obama poem, Pandering, Paul Krugman, Political Setbacks, Recession, SOTU, Spending Freeze
Posted in Barack Obama, Economy Humor, Fiscal Policy, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Tax & Budget Humor, White House | 4 Comments »
Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
I’ve been searching for a positive note in the Massachusetts election debacle and its effect on health care reform and Obama’s agenda. And I’ve finally found the one up side to Democrat Martha Coakley’s upset loss to Republican Scott Brown:
Joe “Vote 60″ No Mo’ (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Joe Lieberman’s blue — in a pout.
Massachusetts has cost him some clout:
Mr. “Me-Me-My-Mine”
Now just “Vote 59.”
Dems are screwed with his vote or without.
Tags: Joe Lieberman, Martha Coakley, Massachusetts, Scott Brown
Posted in Barack Obama, Democrats Satire, Election Satire, Filibuster Humor, Health Satire, Joe Lieberman, Legislation Humor, Martha Coakley, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Scott Brown, Senate Satire | 3 Comments »
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010
Are prominent right-wingers acting as unpaid PR agents for al Qaeda, in their zeal to undermine Obama?
In a word — yes! After all, the purpose of terrorism is to scare people into overreaction. So when GOP attack dogs like Dick Cheney, Liz Cheney, Michael Steele, Bill Kristol, Pete King, Pete Hoekstra, Jim DeMint and countless others characterize a failed terrorist attack as a success and try to terrify the public, they are unwittingly helping al Qaeda.
That leads me to my latest limerick:
Al-Qaeda Talking Points?
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear Michael and Peter and Dick,
Your Obama vendetta is sick.
Cuz behavior like yours —
Turning flops into scores —
Creates fear, which makes terrorists tick.
Tags: Abdulmutallab, Al Qaeda, Bill Kristol, Dick Cheney Satire, GOP Attack Dogs, Jim DeMint, Liz Cheney, Michael Steele, Obama, Pete Hoekstra, Peter King, Terrorism
Posted in Barack Obama, Bill Kristol, Dick Cheney Satire, Election Satire, GOP Humor, George Bush Satire, James DeMint, Liz Cheney, Michael Steele, National Security Humor, Pete Hoekstra, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, Terrorism, White House | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
Republicans have been treating Nigerian Abdulmutallab’s failed Christmas Day bombing of Flight 253 like a Christmas gift from Al Qaeda — something really juicy to exploit.
In fact, the Republicans’ partisan response to this attempted terrorism has been so shameless, even Politico noticed.
Republicans like Pete Hoekstra, James DeMint, Dan Burton, and many others have earned themselves a triple limerick by playing politics with national security:
Shameless Republicans On Christmas Attack
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Exploiting a terror attempt
Is surely beneath all contempt.
But that never would stop
Such a GOP op:
“Bash Obama! He failed to preempt.”
There is plenty of blame they should share
For that terrorist scare in the air.
We’ve no TSA head:
DeMint “held” him instead
Of a vote. It’s Republican guerre.
As for funding our air travel screening,
They vote no. Seems they’re pro-terror leaning.
Though their record is poor,
They keep spouting full-bore.
Please Republicans, spare us your preening.
NOTE: Here’s some unrelated, but timely, New Years Resolutions humor: It Is Hereby Resolved.
Tags: Abdulmutallab, Al Qaeda, Dan Burton, Detroit, James DeMint, National Security, Pete Hoekstra, Politico
Posted in Barack Obama, Blame Game, Dan Burton, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, James DeMint, National Security Humor, Pete Hoekstra, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Public Safety, Republicans Humor, Terrorism, Transportation Safety, White House | 5 Comments »
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
Removing the Medicare buy-in from the Senate health reform bill (to appease Senator Lieberman) was the last straw for Howard Dean. Dean says, “Kill the Senate Bill,” and I’m inclined to agree:
This is essentially the collapse of health care reform in the United States Senate. And, honestly, the best thing to do right now is kill the Senate bill and go back to the House and start the reconciliation process, where you only need 51 votes and it would be a much simpler bill.
I blame President Obama for this health reform fiasco. For it’s Obama who empowered Joe Lieberman to blackmail the Senate and hold health reform hostage.
And that brings me to my latest double limerick:
Dressing Down The President
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear Obama, your job is to lead.
You have failed. So has Senator Reid.
Seems you’d sign any swill
Labeled “health reform bill,”
And then brag that we’ve got what we need.
Yes, you’ve tragic’ly blown your great chance.
So spare us the song and the dance.
Though many will swear
You’ve done much for our care,
I am sorry — the prez has no pants.
Tags: Budget Reconciliation, Governor Dean, Harry Reid, Health Insurance, Health Reform, Lieberman, Medicare Buy-In, Obama
Posted in Barack Obama, Democrats Satire, Election Satire, GOP Humor, Harry Reid, Health Satire, Howard Dean, Insurance Humor, Joe Lieberman, Legislation Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Senate Satire, White House | 12 Comments »
Saturday, December 5th, 2009
When it comes to health care reform, Joe Lieberman is acting like a petulant baby: “Wah, wah, wah! Dump the public option, or I filibuster. So there!”
I don’t know whether Lieberman’s doing this because he’s owned by insurance companies or because he wants to punish Democrats. But it’s clearly not out of conviction. Otherwise, he could surely keep his rationale straight: Joe’s up to seven nonsensical reasons … and counting.
“No-Man” Joe (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
“Public option’s no good,” asserts Joe.
“Want my health reform vote? It must go.”
But his stated objections
Keep changing directions.
Joe’s mantra on health? “Just say no!”
Related Posts: A Limerick For Traitor Joe; and The Ballad Of Joementum Joe Lieberman.
Tags: Filibuster Humor, Health Reform, Insurance Reform, Joe Lieberman
Posted in Filibuster Humor, Health Satire, Insurance Humor, Joe Lieberman, Legislation Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009
Somebody please explain why the garbage and lies spewed by Richard Cheney are routinely treated like they’re gospel. Dick makes George W. Bush look like a statesman, for heaven sakes. And yet media outlets love to present the former Veep’s vicious distortions and malicious rants virtually without challenge.
The latest example is Politico’s regurgitation of Cheney’s lengthy tirade against President Obama. A tirade, I might add, made on the eve of Obama’s Afghanistan troop buildup speech at West Point.
Politico deserves a double limerick, don’t you think?
Dick Cheney’s Steno Pool (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear Politico, kindly explain
Why you act like Dick Cheney is sane.
You repeat all his lies
Like they’re truthful and wise.
Your stenography’s worse than inane.
Richard Cheney has harmed our great nation.
Yet you act like each Cheney quotation
Is golden and true,
Worth transcribing on cue.
You’re not journos — you just take dictation.
UPDATE: Unbelievable! Apparently the Pulitzer Board is fond of Cheney’s steno pool. It just elected Jim VandeHei, executive editor and co-founder of Politico, to the Pulitzer Board. Can a Pulitzer Prize for Drudge be far behind?
Related Posts: Ode To Fresh Faces; and Bush & Cheney’s Blunderland Song Parody
Tags: Afghanistan Strategy, Dick Cheney Humor, Drudge Humor, Media Humor, Politico, Pulitzer Prize
Posted in Barack Obama, Dick Cheney Satire, Election Satire, GOP Humor, George Bush Satire, Media Satire, National Security Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, War & Antiwar Poems, White House | 7 Comments »
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
Fox News and all the usual wingnut suspects are simply horrified because President Obama, in a show of diplomatic courtesy, bowed to Emperor Akihito of Japan. This was a shocking and unprecedented show of weakness and subservience, according to sundry Obama bashers, including Karl Rove, Steve Doocy, and Dick Cheney.
It seems only Republican Presidents are allowed such bows (Richard Nixon to Japanese Emperor Hirohito, Dwight Eisenhower to Charles De Gaulle).
But as far as I’m concerned, President Obama can bow to as many foreign leaders as he likes. Although perhaps he should leave the Saudi Prince lip-kissing and hand-holding to George W. Bush.
And now it’s time for a limerick:
Bowing … And Scraping Bottom
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Kissing princes and hand-holding’s fine
For a Prez on the GOP line.
But a bow from Obama
To emp’rors — what drama!
Such nonsense, this sham wingnut-whine.
Tags: Diplomacy, Japan, Obama Bowing
Posted in Barack Obama, Diplomacy Humor, Foreign Policy, Fox News Humor, George Bush Satire, Hypocrisy Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Wingnuts | 2 Comments »
Saturday, October 31st, 2009
One of the silliest Republican (and Fox News) talking points is that the Democratic health reform bill is too long. Fox News Live Desk’s Trace Gallagher seems especially fond of it, making repeated (and inaccurate) comparisons to Tolstoy’s War and Peace. (Well, we always knew that Fox is fond of fiction.)
“Short On Facts” Fox (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
When on substance your grasp just ain’t strong,
Simply bitch that the health bill’s too long.
“War and Peace is much shorter,”
Rants Trace (Fox “reporter”),
And even on that Fox is wrong.
Tags: Fox News, Health Reform, Law Satire, Legislation Satire, Leo Tolstoy, Literature Humor, Media, Russian Novels, Talking Points, Trace Gallagher
Posted in Fox News Humor, Health Satire, Legislation Humor, Media Satire, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, Television (TV) Satire | No Comments »
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
Traitor Joe Lieberman is back to his old tricks, once again trying to undermine Democrats. So how’s Joe rewarding Obama and Harry Reid’s excessive generosity in letting Lieberman caucus with the Dems and chair the Homeland Security Committee? By threatening to help Republicans filibuster health reform over the public option.
Joe Lieberman’s latest misanthropic behavior reminds me of the single saving grace in Bush v. Gore: The election was stolen from Lieberman too.
I’ve already written Joe a song parody, so now it’s time for a limerick:
A Limerick For Traitor Joe
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Joe Lieberman’s meanness runs deep.
He’s a back-stabbing, Dem-screwing creep,
Who’s determined to kill
The health reform bill.
But at least he will never be VEEP.
Tags: Bush v. Gore, Filibuster, Harry Reid, Health Reform, Homeland Security, Joe Lieberman, Public Option, Traitors
Posted in Barack Obama, Filibuster Humor, Harry Reid, Health Satire, Insurance Humor, Joe Lieberman, Legislation Humor, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Washington | 5 Comments »
Palin’s Runny, Run-On Sentences Finally Explained
Sunday, February 7th, 2010When I first saw these hilarious photos and video of Sarah Palin’s palm-written Tea Party crib notes, all I could think was:
Notes on your hand,
Notes on your hand,
Lookin’ like a fool
With your notes on your hand.
Sorry, I watch way too much American Idol.
But relying on a cheat-sheet on your left hand during a friendly Q & A session is rich, coming from a woman who disparages President Obama’s (fictitious) inability to speak without a teleprompter.
This brings me to my latest limerick:
Palin’s Runny, Run-On Sentences Finally Explained
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Sarah Palin comes armed when she speaks
With crib notes on “hand” for sneak peeks.
Guess she’d better not wash
Before speeches. Oh gosh,
I sure hope that those scrawls ain’t antiques.
Tags: American Idol, Cheat Sheets, Crib Notes, Obama, Pants On The Ground Parody, Q & A, Run-On Sentences, Sarah Palin, Speeches, Tea Party Convention, Teleprompter
Posted in Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Speeches, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Sarah Palin, Song Parodies, Tea Parties | 9 Comments »